Pirie Voices

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Stuart) (15:17): Today, I would like to talk about a significant event that was launched in Port Pirie yesterday, Pirie Voices. Pirie Voices is the first fully community owned and community-led initiative of its kind in Port Pirie. Too often programs are designed elsewhere and delivered to communities rather than with them. Pirie Voices turns this around. It puts local people at the centre, shaping their own future, their own priorities and their own solutions.

This movement has not come from a crisis or from government intervention, it has come from the community itself, from people who said, 'We want to build a better, more inclusive and a more resilient future together.' The groundwork began back in 2022 through the local Mid North Jobs and Skills Network. This brought together local employers, training providers and community leaders to address employment and skills challenges in the region. It has been instrumental in shaping the direction of Pirie Voices, ensuring that local priorities are at the forefront.

Since then, there have been community forums, workshops, research with Flinders University and countless conversations with local leaders, industry and service providers. That foundation has now grown into a broad and diverse consortium, bringing together industry, community organisations, education providers, council and both state and federal agencies. What makes Pirie Voices unique is that diversity. Local government and community services are deeply involved and, importantly, state government agencies, including Preventive Health SA, Country Arts SA and the Department of Human Services, are already walking alongside, and their contributions have been enormously invaluable to this organisation.

We are at year 1 of this journey. This is not a short-term project tied to an election cycle: it is a long-term community movement that will grow and evolve over the years ahead. Phase 1 is all about listening. Over the next 12 months, Pirie Voices will capture 1,000 conversations across the community. Guided by five simple but very powerful questions, these conversations will gather people's hopes, challenges and ideas for the future. Everyday people with trusted connections across the community will be supported to have these conversations in their own networks. These are parents, teachers, neighbours, young people, elderly people, people from all walks of life.

To make this possible, Pirie Voices has already managed to generate funding for a dedicated coordinator for 12 months, who commenced in July this year. The outcomes of phase 1 will be powerful: a clear set of community-driven priorities, a road map and theory of change, and stronger connections right across the community. This is about building capacity, collaboration and creating a long-term vision that belongs to the people of Port Pirie.

Pirie Voices has also looked outward and learned from the best. It has drawn inspiration from Logan Together in Queensland, the Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project in Victoria and the Our Town initiative here in South Australia. Earlier this year, Pirie Voices was invited to be part of the national PLACE tour. Despite only just beginning, Pirie Voices is already being noticed on a national scale as an example of community-led innovation with potential to influence other regions.

This reflects a broader shift. Across Australia, both state and federal governments are recognising the importance of place-based approaches, where our solutions are designed with communities, not imposed from outside. Pirie Voices is a living, breathing example of what this can look like in practice. This is an opportunity for state government. The community is not asking for government to drive this work. What Pirie Voices needs and what it values is government walking alongside, recognising the leadership already in the community and supporting in practical ways.

Pirie Voices is more than a project. It is the start of a movement that has the potential to reshape how communities and governments work together. It is about shifting power, building trust and proving that when we listen deeply, when we act together and when government, industry and community all pull in the same direction, lasting change is possible. Port Pirie is ready. The community has taken the first step. The Pirie Voices initiative was officially launched yesterday in Port Pirie, and it went down very well. I believe Pirie Voices will not only shape the future of our region but also provide lessons and inspirations for communities right across South Australia.